CD card

ABSTRACT

A CD Card for packaging card like information and digital information in the basic dimensions (length and width) of a business, credit or collectors card. The CD Card is made up of one, two, or three major components. The first component is a small compact disc with dimensions small enough to be contained within the typical dimensions (length and width) of a business card, credit card, or collectors card. The second component is a container shaped like a business, credit, or collectors card in length and width, but with a depth large enough to hold the small compact disc and adaptor (if required) discussed subsequently. The third component is an adaptor designed to position the small compact disc of the first and third embodiments of the present invention correctly in standard CD drives. A second embodiment of the small compact disc may not require an adaptor or case. The adaptor also has dimensions small enough to be contained within the typical dimensions (length and width) of a business card, credit card, or collectors card.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application is a Continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/106,857 filed on Mar. 27, 2002, and incorporatedherein by reference, which in turn is a Continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/170,040, filed on Oct. 13, 1998, andincorporated herein by reference, which in turn claims priority fromProvisional U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/062,408, filed Oct. 14, 1997,which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of compact disc (CD)data storage, specifically to a method and apparatus for packaging asmaller size compact disc, or a smaller size compact disc and discadaptor into a credit card, business card, or baseball card/collectorscard size.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] It may be desirable to be able to distribute digital informationin a medium as widely accepted and easily carried as a business, credit,or collectors card that can be read or read and written to by a standardCD drive. For example, Spector, U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,561 discusses usinga CD-ROM as a baseball collectable (Col. 2, lines 3-10) and provides acase for displaying such collectibles. However, a standard 12 cm CD-ROMis rather large and awkward compared to a standard baseball card,business card, or credit card size format.

[0004] It also may be desirable to change the shape of the small compactdisc of the invention. It is known that a standard 12 cm in diametercompact disc can be cut (made) to have straight sides and play as astandard 12 cm diameter CD. Such a product is presently marketed underthe trade name CyberTract™ and is commercially available through theAmerican Tract Society and made with the cooperation of DISCART™, LLC,which claims copyright to the disc shapes and also claims patentspending.

[0005] One such tract, for example, has been marketed using the likenessof the late Mickey Mantle imprinted onto the face of the device. Thedevice is encoded with text, graphics, and video of the late MickeyMantle discussing his religious conversion. The overall appearance (butnot size) of the device is akin to that of a baseball card orcollectable, on one side.

[0006] The DISCART™ device, however, is made as a cut down (rectangular)version of a standard 12 cm compact disc (CD). This disc maintains the12 cm diameter at four points to align itself in the CD drive. As aresult, the packaged product is larger than a standard baseball card orsports collectable. Thus, products such as the DISCART™ device may notbe as readily acceptable for collectors. Such an apparatus, for example,would not fit within standard baseball card holders, drawers, orshelving.

[0007] In addition, while the device appears to play satisfactorily inmost CD players and CD-ROM drives, after testing the inventor hasdiscovered that the device may create some vibrations or noise whenplayed or used in some CD players or CD-ROM drives. The rectangularshape of the disc creates a slight imbalance or non-aerodynamic shapewhich may result in vibration in some CD players.

[0008] Another approach is a CD-ROM card marketed as “The CarD” byADIVAN High Tech AG, Switzerland (www.adivan.com). The inventor isunaware of the first disclosure date of the ADIVAN device, and thus doesnot represent that the device qualifies as “prior art” per se. However,the device is disclosed herein under the spirit of the duty ofdisclosure.

[0009] The ADIVAN device is a CD-ROM provided in a number of shapes andsizes within a specified range. Four “knobs”, spaced along a 75 mmdiameter circle protrude from the underside of card, to align the cardin a CD-ROM drive utilizing the 8 cm depressed portion of the CD-ROMdrive tray. The presence of protruding knobs may make the card lessuseful as a business card device, as the resultant card is no longerflat. As such, storage devices for business cards, baseball cards, andthe like, may not readily accept such a card. The knobs also make thecard less aerodynamic and cause greater vibration. It would also appearto require a special mold to form the knobs.

[0010] One approach to solving such problems might be to use the 8 cm CDof the prior art. It is known that an 8 cm in diameter compact disc madeby the Sony Corporation is commercially available. The 8 cm compact discholds the same type of information that the 12 cm diameter disc can andis playable in standard CD drives. Such CD “singles” have heretoforebeen used mainly for music applications and the like. However, even an 8cm CD is too large to fit in a standard baseball or business card sizeformat.

[0011] Various adapters are known in the art for attaching to a 8 cm CDto adapt the 8 cm CD for playback on a 12 cm CD player, much as the oldspindle adapters were used to play 45 RPM records on LP turntables.These adapters were designed when CD players did not incorporate an 8 cmaligning circle as they do today. Such adapters were also designed foruse in compact disc cartridges (Caddys) which are very rare today. Theseadapters are still helpful today in playing 8 cm CDs in multi-disccartridges and front loading players. 90 to 95% of CD players used todayare tray loading drive types with 8 cm aligning circles, making theseadapters unnecessary in the majority of CD players.

[0012] Yamamori, U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,784, issued Jun. 6, 1989, disclosesone such device. It should be noted that it appears that the device ofYamamori engages the smaller 8 cm disc, thus forming a package which is12 cm in diameter. Although the device of Yamamori may be suitable forplaying back 8 cm discs, the overall structure of the apparatus suffersfrom some drawbacks.

[0013] To begin with, the adaptor has a 12 cm outer diameter. Thus, ifthe adaptor is distributed with an 8 cm disc, the overall package sizewould need to be at least 12 cm in diameter, or that of a standard CDcase (e.g., so-called “jewel box”). It also requires excess handling ofthe 8 cm disc and the possibility of disengagement of the adaptor fromthe disc resulting in damage to the disc or the disc drive.

[0014] Eihaus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,330, issued Feb. 6, 1990, PublishedEP application 0,331,389, published Sep. 6, 1989, and EP PatentSpecification 0,391,638 published Apr. 19, 1995, all disclose similar CDadapters for adapting an 8 cm CD to a 12 cm format. However, all ofthose devices appear to suffer from the same fundamental limitations ofthe Yamamori device. In particular, the overall size of such adaptersprecludes them from being packaged into a package substantially smallerthan a standard 12 cm CD-ROM. Moreover, such devices appear tophysically attach to the CD-ROM itself.

[0015] Yamashita et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,677, issued Oct. 10, 1995,discloses an adaptor for a smaller CD for use in a multi-CD adaptor. Thedevice grips the smaller CD which is then removed from the adaptorlaterally by the playback apparatus. Such a device may not be readilyadaptable to a tray-type CD-ROM player or the like.

[0016] Typical CD-ROM drives with opening trays may be provided with adepressed inner portion which may be used to center an 8 cm CD-ROM. Oncethe CD-ROM is placed in this depression, and the tray closed, thespindle of the CD-ROM drive may engage the center hole of an 8 cm CD-ROMsuccessfully and the 8 cm CD-ROM may be read. Without such a depression,the 8 cm CD-ROM may slide about when the tray is closed, and the spindlemay not properly engage, possibly damaging or scratching the 8 cmCD-ROM.

[0017] While such a solution may work for an 8 cm CD-ROM, it may notwork for other, odd sizes. Given the large installed base of CD-ROMdrives, one wishing to distribute a non-standard (e.g., diameter otherthan 8 cm or 12 cm) CD-ROM size, one cannot expect users to buy newCD-ROM drives with yet a second depression for yet another size CD-ROM.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0018] In a first embodiment, the present invention may utilize a smallcompact disc, smaller than the standard 12 cm diameter CD, that will fitinside a card shaped container (if desired). In accordance with theinvention, a CD Card device for packaging digital information in amedium as widely accepted and easily carried as a business, credit orcollectors card that can be read (or read and written to by drives anddisc types so capable) by standard CD drives comprises a small compactdisc. This small compact disc is smaller than the standard 12 cm indiameter compact disc commonly used today and the 8 cm compact discreferred to in the Background of the Invention Section above.

[0019] The small compact disc of the present invention uses the sametechnology (materials, and data standards) as does the standard 12 cmdiameter CD with the only significant exception being its outsidediameter (in a first and third embodiments) or its shape (in a secondembodiment). Also, weight may be added to the small compact disc ofeither embodiment by adding heavier materials and/or increasing thethickness of some outer areas.

[0020] The small CD of the present invention may store any data that isstored on a standard 12 cm compact disc, and be read or read and writtento if so designed, like any standard 12 cm disc so capable. This ispossible because all critical information to allow the proper use of aCD is carried in the innermost part of the area that carriesinformation. Such information falls within the diameter of the smallcompact disc of the invention. The small compact disc of the inventionrequires only proper placement in the standard CD drive to performproperly.

[0021] The first and third embodiments of the present invention mayrequire an adaptor to ensure proper placement. This adaptor is discussedin the following paragraph. The second (and preferred) embodiment of theinvention may not require an adaptor to assure proper placement. Bothsmall compact discs, one embodiment of which may be approximately 5.5 to6.35 cm in diameter in the case of the first and third embodiments andthe other having an approximate width of 5.5 to 6.35 cm and a length of8 cm in the case of the second (and preferred) embodiment, will haveless storage capacity than the standard 12 cm in diameter compact disc.

[0022] An adaptor is designed for use with the first and thirdembodiments of the present invention. The adaptor is designed toposition the small compact disc of the first and third embodimentscorrectly so that it will be accepted by the CD drive. The adaptor isalso stored within the card shaped container. One embodiment of theadaptor may stretch across (over) the 8 cm disc aligning circle(available with tray loading CD drives), being kept in position byprotruding arc shaped ridges. In this position it will align the smallcompact disc for proper use.

[0023] First, the adaptor is placed in the CD drive tray, then the smallcompact disc is placed within it. The adaptor will remain in its initialposition in the tray as the small compact disc is lifted out of it bythe drive mechanism for use. The small compact disc will be returned tothe adaptor by the drive mechanism when the small compact disc is nolonger in use.

[0024] The small compact disc of the second embodiment (and preferred)of the present invention, when placed in the tray, will be in the properposition as a result of its shape.

[0025] A card shaped container may hold the small compact disc in amanner to protect it from the casual handling that is common tobusiness, credit and collector cards, the type of handling that coulddamage a compact disc. It also may hold the adaptor (in the first andthird embodiments) used to position the small compact disc. Thecontainer permits removal and replacement of the small compact disc (andthe adaptor, in the first and third embodiments) from within the card.The card may be designed to display information similar to a credit,business or collectors card on its surfaces.

[0026] In its preferred embodiment the CD card may be offered as adigital collectors card, for example a baseball, football, or basketballcard. It may also be offered as a digital card displaying the commonsights at vacation areas to remind vacationers of their trip while usingtheir computer. One way in which the information may be displayed is inthe format of a screen saver. The card may also be used as would aconventional business card but with the added dimension of conveyinglarge amounts of digital information to its recipient. There are manypossible uses for the CD Card only some of which are described here.

[0027] It is known that in a small percentage of CD drives (less the 5%)a larger adaptor for the first and third embodiments or a newly designedadaptor for the second embodiment may be needed. If it is desired thatthe smaller compact discs be read in those CD drives, a special largeradaptor may be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect,it will now be described with the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0029]FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the smallcompact disc of the present invention.

[0030]FIG. 2 is a cross-section view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

[0031]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the adaptor ofthe present invention.

[0032]FIG. 4 is a cross-section view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3.

[0033]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the card shapedcontainer of the present invention.

[0034]FIG. 6 is a cross-section view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 5.

[0035]FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the first embodiment of the presentinvention of the card shaped container with the adaptor and smallcompact disc carried inside.

[0036]FIG. 8 is a cross-section view taken along lines 8-8 of FIG. 7.

[0037]FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a second (and preferred) embodimentof the small compact disc of the present invention.

[0038]FIG. 10 is a cross-section view taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 9.

[0039]FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the cardshaped container of the present invention.

[0040]FIG. 12 is a cross-section view taken along lines 12-12 of FIG.11.

[0041]FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention of the card shaped container with the small compact disccarried inside.

[0042]FIG. 14 is a cross-section view taken along lines 14-14 of FIG.13.

[0043]FIG. 15 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the smallcompact disc of the present invention.

[0044]FIG. 16 is a cross-section view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 15.

[0045]FIG. 17 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the presentinvention illustrating an adaptor.

[0046]FIG. 18 is a cross-section view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 17.

[0047]FIG. 19 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the cardshaped container of the present invention.

[0048]FIG. 20 is a cross-section view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 19.

[0049]FIG. 21 is a top plan view of the third embodiment of the presentinvention illustrating the card shaped container with the adaptor andsmall compact disc carried inside.

[0050]FIG. 22 is a cross-section view taken along lines 8-8 of FIG. 21.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0051]FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the smallcompact disc of the present invention. Disc 100 uses the sametechnologies, materials, and data standards as does the standard 12 or 8cm CD, with the only significant exception being that its outsidediameter is substantially smaller than a typical prior art 8 or 12 cmcompact disc. In the preferred embodiment, the disc is approximately 5.5to 6.35 cm in diameter.

[0052]FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1,illustrating a cross-sectional view of disc 100.

[0053]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an adaptor of the first embodiment ofthe present invention. Adaptor 300 may be substantially “C”-shapedhaving an outer diameter of approximately 8 cm. Adaptor 300 may beprovided with lands 320 which may be adapted to received the disc 100when it is placed upon lands 320. Adaptor 300 may also be provided witha ridge 310, the function of which will be described below.

[0054] Note that adaptor 300, although adapted to approximately 8 cmdisc circle, maintains an overall form factor of approximately 8 cm by 6cm, allowing it to be packaged in a credit card, business card, orcollectible card type packaging. Note that in the case of a businesscard embodiment, a slightly larger than normal business card size may berequired in order to provide sufficient width for data tracks beyond thewidth of the center hole.

[0055]FIG. 4 is a cross-section of adaptor 300 taken along lines 4-4 ofFIG. 3. In use, disc 100 may be placed upon lands 320 and the entirecombination of adaptor 300 and disc 100 placed into a CD-ROM drive.Adaptor 300 will rest in the depression of the CD-ROM drive designed foran 8 cm disc. Note that disc 100 merely rests upon lands 320 and lands320 do not in any way necessarily engage or grip disc 100. Once the trayof the CD-ROM drive is closed, the spindle will pick up disc 100 fromits resting surface on lands 320. Adaptor 300 will remain in thedepression formed in the CD-ROM drive after disc 100 has been picked upand engaged by the CD-ROM drive.

[0056] When the tray to the CD-ROM drive is opened, the spindle of theCD-ROM drive will lower disc 100 back onto adaptor 300 and the drivedoor will open. Without the use of adaptor 300, the disc may fallthrough the center portion of the drive or become jammed.

[0057]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the presentinvention of the card shaped container 500. Card shaped container 500may be suitably formed from transparent plastic or the like to allow auser to view the contents including any materials imprinted on disc 100.Alternately, card shaped container 500 may be formed from opaque ortranslucent plastic and/or have indicia printed thereon or printed onlabels applied to the card. Card shaped container 500 may have aninterior opening 520 along with a slot portion 510 which function willbe described below.

[0058]FIG. 6 is a cross-section of the card shaped container 500 takenalong lines 6-6 of FIG. 5.

[0059]FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the first embodiment of the presentinvention of the card shaped container 500 with adaptor 300 and smallcompact disc 100 carried inside. FIG. 8 is a cross-section taken alonglines 8-8 of FIG. 7. As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the combination ofdisc 100 and adaptor 300 may be suitably slid into card shaped container500. Note that in FIG. 7, the top portion of card shaped container 500is not shown for purposes of illustration. Ridge 310 slides within slotportion 510 in such a manner as to allow a user to easily slide outadaptor 300 and disc 100 from card shaped container 500.

[0060] It should be noted from FIGS. 7 and 8 that, unlike the prior art,the present invention provides a means by which a smaller disc alongwith an adaptor may be packaged together into a smaller form factorpackage. Thus, a user need not purchase an additional bulkier adaptorwhich does not fit into the business card or baseball card form factor.Moreover, the use of a circular disc eliminates any wobble, imbalance,and aerodynamic problems present in prior art rectangular discs.

[0061]FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention of a small compact disc 900. Disc 900 may be provided with anominal diameter of approximately 8 cm, but having substantiallyparallel portions 910. The distance between substantially parallelportions 910 may be approximately 5.5 to 6.35 cm. Data may be writteninto that portion of the disc having a diameter less than the distancebetween substantially parallel portions 910. Although disc 900 is notround (as with disc 100), unlike prior art rectangular discs, disc 900is smaller with a greater percentage of the edge of the disc beingcircular and thus making it more aerodynamic, easier to balance, andsimpler to align in the depressed portion (8 cm diameter circle) of thecompact disc reader tray. Disc 900 may optionally be provided withbalancing weights (not shown) in the form of denser or thicker portionswhich may serve to dynamically balance disc 900.

[0062]FIG. 10 is a cross-section taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 9.

[0063]FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention of the card shaped container. Card shaped container 1100 maybe provided with an internal portion 1120.

[0064]FIG. 12 is a cross-section taken along lines 12-12 of FIG. 11,illustrating the internal portion 1120 of card shaped container 1100.Although not illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, card shaped container 1100may be provided with an opening at one end, or in the alternative, thetop portion may slide open or may be hinged to open much as in a typicalprior art CD-ROM “jewel box” case.

[0065]FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention of the card shaped container with the small compact disccarried inside. As illustrated in FIG. 13, disc 900 may be placed withinthe internal portion 1120 of card shaped container 1100. Card shapedcontainer 1100 may be provided with an open portion approximately 5.5 to6.35 cm by 8 cm so as to allow disc 900 to fit therein.

[0066]FIG. 14 is a cross-section taken along lines 14-14 of FIG. 13,illustrating a cross-section of the combined apparatus.

[0067]FIG. 15 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the presentinvention of the small compact disc. Disc 1500 is similar for allintents and purposes as disc 100 of FIG. 1.

[0068]FIG. 16 is a cross-section taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 15.

[0069]FIG. 17 is a top plan view of the third embodiment of the presentinvention illustrating an adaptor. The adaptor of FIG. 17 differsslightly from that of FIG. 3 in that the overall adaptor does not haverounded edges. Rather, raised edges 1710 are provided at a diameterapproximately 8 cm across the center of adaptor 1700. Raised edges 1710may rest inside a depressed portion of a CD-ROM drive designed toaccommodate 8 cm discs. Disc 1500 may be carried on adaptor 1700 onlands, such as lands 320 shown in FIG. 3. In the alternative, adaptor1700 may merely center disc 1500 and thus not actually carry or be incontact with disc 1500.

[0070]FIG. 18 is a cross-section taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 17,illustrating the shape of raised edges 1710.

[0071]FIG. 19 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the presentinvention of the card shaped container. Card shaped container 1900 maybe provided with an internal portion having dimensions 1910 and 1920being approximately 5.5 to 6.35 cm and 8.5 cm respectively.

[0072]FIG. 20 is a cross-section taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 19.

[0073]FIG. 21 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the presentinvention illustrating the card shaped container with the adaptor andsmall compact disc carried inside. As illustrated in FIG. 21, cardshaped container 1900 is sized so as to hold both adaptor 1700 and disc1500 compactly therein. Again, although not illustrated in the Figures,card shaped container 1900 may be provided with an opening top or sideportion to allow disc 1500 and adaptor 1700 to slide out or be removed.

[0074]FIG. 22 is a cross-section view taken along lines 8-8 of FIG. 21.

[0075] While the preferred embodiment and various alternativeembodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detailherein, it may be apparent to those skilled in the art that variouschanges in form and detail may be made therein without departing fromthe spirit and scope thereof.

We claim:
 1. A combined compact disc and container for use as abusiness, credit or collectors card, comprising: a compact disc having adiameter less than 12 centimeters, and a rectangular card-shapedcontainer having a minor axial dimension substantially the same as thediameter of the compact disc, for receiving and storing the compactdisc.
 2. The combined compact disc and container of claim 1, furthercomprising: a substantially planar adapter, having an internal arcuateregion having a diameter substantially the same as the compact disc andat least two lands extending from the internal arcuate region forsupporting and aligning the compact disc, the substantially planaradapter having a minor axial dimension substantially the same as theminor axial dimension of the rectangular card-shaped container so as tofit inside the rectangular card-shaped container with the compact disccontained therein, the substantially planar adapter further having anarcuate outside portion having a diameter substantially the same as acorresponding 8 cm depressed portion in a compact disc reader tray so asto align the compact disc in a compact disc reader.
 3. The combinedcompact disc and container of claim 2, wherein the diameter of thearcuate outside portion of the substantially planar adapter issubstantially 8 centimeters.
 4. The combined compact disc and containerof claim 2, wherein said substantially planar adapter has a raisedportion on one side thereof for engaging a corresponding slot in thecontainer so as to secure the substantially planar adapter and compactdisc into the container.
 5. The combined compact disc and container ofclaim 1, wherein said compact disc has a non-round shape including atleast two substantially parallel sides spaced apart a distancesubstantially the same as the minor axial dimension of the rectangularcard-shaped container to allow the compact disc to be placed in therectangular card-shaped container and a diameter along a major axissufficient to span a corresponding 8 cm depressed portion in a compactdisc reader tray so as to support and align the compact disc in acompact disc reader.
 6. The combined compact disc and container of claim5, wherein the at least two substantially parallel sides are spacedapproximately 5.5 to 6.35 centimeters from one another.
 7. The combinedcompact disc and container of claim 6, wherein the diameter along amajor axis of the compact disc is substantially 8 centimeters.
 8. Thecombined compact disc and container of claim 1, further comprising: asubstantially planar adapter, having first raised arcuate ridges on oneside thereof, the raised arcuate ridges having a diameter substantiallythe same as the 8 cm depressed portion of a compact disc reader tray,the substantially planar adapter having internal portions extendinginwardly from the first raised arcuate ridge for aligning the compactdisc in a compact disc reader, the substantially planar adapter having aminor axial dimension substantially the same as the minor axialdimension of the rectangular card-shaped container so as to fit insidethe rectangular card-shaped container with the compact disc containedtherein, the substantially planar adapter further having an arcuateoutside portion so as to rest upon the compact disc reader tray.
 9. Thecombined compact disc and container of claim 8, wherein the arcuateoutside portion of the substantially planar adapter has a diameter ofapproximately 8 centimeters.
 10. The combined compact disc and containerof claim 8, wherein said substantially planar adapter further comprises:second raised arcuate ridges formed on an opposite side of thesubstantially planer adapter as the first raised arcuate ridges.
 11. Adata storage apparatus for distribution as a business card, credit card,or collector card, the data storage apparatus comprising: an opticallyencoded compact disc having a diameter less than 12 centimeters, and asubstantially planar adapter, having an internal arcuate region having adiameter substantially the same as the optically encoded compact discand at least two lands extending from the internal arcuate region forsupporting the optically encoded compact disc, the substantially planaradapter further having an arcuate outside portion having a diametersubstantially the same as a corresponding 8 cm depressed portion in acompact disc reader tray so as to align the optically encoded compactdisc in a compact disc reader.
 12. The data storage apparatus of claim11, wherein the diameter of the arcuate outside portion of thesubstantially planar adapter is substantially 8 centimeters.
 13. Thedata storage apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: a rectangularcard-shaped container having a minor axial dimension substantially thesame as the diameter of the optically encoded compact disc, forreceiving and storing the optically encoded compact disc.
 14. The datastorage apparatus of claim 13, wherein the substantially planar adapterhas a minor axial dimension substantially the same as the minor axialdimension of the rectangular card-shaped container so as to fit insidethe rectangular card-shaped container with the optically encoded compactdisc contained therein.
 15. The data storage apparatus of claim 14,wherein said substantially planar adapter has a raised portion on oneside thereof for engaging a corresponding slot in the container so as tosecure the substantially planar adapter and optically encoded compactdisc into the container.
 16. A data storage apparatus for distributionas a business card, credit card, or collector card, the data storageapparatus comprising: an optically encoded compact disc having adiameter less than 12 centimeters, wherein said optically encodedcompact disc has a non-round shape including has at least twosubstantially parallel sides and a diameter along a major axissufficient to span a corresponding 8 cm depressed portion in a compactdisc reader tray so as to support and align the optically encodedcompact disc in a compact disc reader.
 17. The data storage apparatus ofclaim 16, wherein the at least two parallel flat sides are spacedapproximately 5.5 to 6.35 centimeters from one another.
 18. The datastorage apparatus of claim 17, wherein the diameter along a major axisof the optically encoded compact disc is substantially 8 centimeters.19. A data storage apparatus for distribution as a business card, creditcard, or collector card, the data storage apparatus comprising: anoptically encoded compact disc having a diameter less than 12centimeters, and a substantially planar adapter, having first raisedarcuate ridges on one side thereof, the raised arcuate ridges having adiameter substantially the same as the 8 cm depressed portion of acompact disc reader tray, the substantially planar adapter havinginternal portions extending inwardly from the first raised arcuate ridgefor aligning the compact disc in a compact disc reader, thesubstantially planar adapter having a minor axial dimensionsubstantially the same as the minor axial dimension of the rectangularcard-shaped container so as to fit inside the rectangular card-shapedcontainer with the compact disc contained therein, the substantiallyplanar adapter further having an arcuate outside portion so as to restupon the compact disc reader tray.
 20. The data storage apparatus ofclaim 19, wherein the diameter of the arcuate outside portion of thesubstantially planar adapter is substantially 8 centimeters.
 21. Thedata storage apparatus of claim 20, further comprising: a rectangularcard-shaped container having a minor axial dimension substantially thesame as the diameter of the optically encoded compact disc, forreceiving and storing the optically encoded compact disc.